Useful resources

Menu

Some people have developed an inner drama, a confrontation of giant proportions takes place inside their minds when they are impelled to use a public restroom. A nightmarish vision of bacteria, viruses, filth, disease and uncleanness gets a hold on them.

Well, actually, an elevator could be more dangerous than a public restroom, because most public washrooms are well ventilated and offer more space, while airborne viruses prefer small, poorly-ventilated spaces like elevators.

You could pick up some virus or bacteria in your short trip to the toilet, but they won’t be as aggressive as you think. If it gets to you, you’ll probably have the stomach flu.

That doesn’t mean it’s a bad idea to cover the seat. There’s a chance the drug-resistant bacteria could be transmitted by skin. Although there haven’t been any particular cases showing that caution is never in vain.

It’s also safer to flush the toilet before using it, as stagnant water is a good environment for multiplying bacteria, and you don’t want to disturb the surface of a bacteria nursery.

All you have to do is follow the right steps: rub your hands to produce enough lather, clean the back of your hands, your nails and the skin between your fingers, then rinse off with plenty of water. Use towels to dry off, turn off the tap, and grab the door handle.

Some believe that touching anything in a public restroom is going to infect them, so they use their feet to do almost anything while they are inside. There are all sorts of suspects, from Staphylococcus, E.coli and hepatitis A to chlamydia or gonorrhea.

But the truth is our immune system can handle most of the dangers encountered, especially if we use hygiene measures, while the germs we fear can only survive for a short time in the outside environment. So instead of hazardously using your feet, just grab some toilet paper to use it as a barrier between you and the dirty handles.

If you want to further minimize the risk of picking up undesirable organisms, try using the first stall. Most of the people go into the middle or back stalls for more privacy, so there’s a chance the first one is a bit cleaner than the rest.

It would be even wiser to avoid placing your things on the bathroom floor because that is probably the least clean surface in the restroom.

Bottom line, there is a genuine reason for concern, but we can safely use the restrooms and avoid paranoia by simply paying attention to basic hygiene and handling things carefully.

There are ways to have shortcuts when doing household chores. I wouldn’t want to spend more time than necessary on household chores considering that there’s so many of them I need to do everyday. Doing the shortcuts not only speeds up my routines but also gives me time to enjoy the things that matter, like spending time with my family or settling down to watch my favorite soap.

My home cleaning shortcuts

I use a lint roller to dust cloth lampshades. A lint roller works really well without the hassle of taking out the vacuum cleaner. Sometimes, I encase my hand in an old, unmatched sock and dust as I go. I do make sure to work from top to bottom to prevent the dust from settling on wiped surfaces.

I clean mirrors and glass windows using old newspapers. This means I do recycling at the same time as cleaning those surfaces. When cleaning the microwave oven, I boil a cup of water inside as the steam generated helps loosen stuck on particles that will be easy to simply wipe away. After that, I have a nice cup of hot coffee!

When cleaning the toilet, I put toilet cleaner into the bowl and allow it to soak while wiping down the outside surfaces. After I am done with the external surfaces, the dirt and stains in the bowl will have loosened and everything becomes easier to scrub away. To reduce the frequency of cleaning, I use a continuous release toilet cleaning gel or drop-in toilet cleaning dispenser.To make ref cleaning easier, I clean out bad food and trash every trash day morning. Dumping all the bad stuff takes just a few minutes. To wipe down the internal surfaces of my fridge, I use baking soda, which scrubs and eliminates ugly odors without ruining the finish.

My laundry and dishwashing shortcuts

I delegate the washing of their own clothes, as well as the drying and putting away, to the specific person who used the clothings. I have written some basic instructions that are posted in the laundry room so everyone knows what they are doing and whether they are doing it right. I did have a trial period in which I let my ‘trainees’ assist me with their clothing but after that, they are now pretty much on their own, so if they don’t do their own laundry and have nothing to wear, they are to blame. Sometimes, when there’s an overwhelming amount of laundry such as bed sheets and towels and curtains and all sorts of heavy stuff, I simply check everything into our neighborhood laundromat

I assign dishwashing to each of my children one mealtime every day, so one of them gets to do the dishes once a week. I have instructed them to first run a sink of hot soapy water and then wash as they go, the same as I do. This ensures that food particles do not get stuck on the surfaces of the dishes. I also keep a supply of disposable plates, cups and flatware for those times when dishwashing can be a huge burden.

Modern toilets can be found in a variety of sizes, styles and colors. They can be sleek and slim or short and squat, and basically everything in between. This means that you can easily find one to fit your personal taste and style, along with your needs. Modern toilets can also come with several innovative features that can include everything from an added bidet to a warmer for the seat. If you are interested in purchasing a modern toilet but aren’t sure what to look for, here are a few tips I found helpful when I was shopping for mine.

Price

One of the first things you’ll want to consider is the price of the toilet, and this will vary. The size, design and manufacturer will all affect its price, along with any features it might come with. While you can find budget friendly modern toilets, you do want to make sure that you are not purchasing an inferior model. The last thing you want is for your new toilet to break and leak water all over your floor.

Design

When it comes to the design of the modern toilet it will depend on the size of your bathroom, and your own personal taste. You can literally find modern toilets in almost any color, including white and cream so you can easily match or contrast with your existing decor. The shape of the toilet can also vary, and you will want to take into account the size of your bathroom. If you have a small narrow space you probably don’t want to choose a wide square toilet, but a slim sleek model might fit your needs perfectly.

Modern toilets can also vary in height, and this should also be considered. If you or someone in your home has trouble standing up or sitting down you will probably want to choose one that sits a little higher.

Features

You might be surprised to learn that modern toilets can come with a variety of features, though this can affect its price. Some models come with a convenient bidet that can make you feel like you are living in luxury. The best toilets use less water without sacrificing flushing power will help you save money on monthly utility bills, while still being able to effectively prevent clogs. These models often come with dual flushing capabilities which allows you to choose how much water is used at a time.

I’ve always wondered how much toilets will evolve, given that they have a very basic functionality, but having been shopping for a new toilet these past days, it seems I really lack imagination. Dedicated shops and websites are full of modern models with all kind of futuristic options, or so they seem to me. Faced with this abundance of choices, I had to come up with a methodical plan to slowly eliminate some of those models. And here’s how I think everyone should proceed.

You begin by measuring and assessing the space you have. Many toilets today are specifically designed to be longer or taller, and some of these just won’t fit into the usual space your bathroom has reserved. For instance, while the common height is about 15 inches, you can find 19-inches tall toilets that are better for elderly people or for those struggling with joint or back pain.

Another option you are confronted with is whether your toilet will be the one-pieced, or a combination of two pieces: the tank and the bowl. I’ve found one-pieced toilets to be more expensive, but they seem to save you the effort of cleaning the little crevices that usually accumulate a lot of dirt, and they have a more chic look.

If you’re looking for a toilet that will make cleaning extremely easy and that will fit perfecty even in the tiniest bathroom, buying a wall-mount toilet will do the trick. These are simply encased in the wall, leaving the floor underneath completely uncovered. My wife was really thrilled at the thought, but there were a few considerations that calmed her down: the price is higher, the mounting process is complicated, as you’d probably need to reinforce the wall, and the fact that so many people complain that in time, they become loose, and require constant repairing and readjustment.

Of course, there are other features you can find these days that add to the comfort of a toilet: a heated seat or a bidet-like bowl can really improve your experience, if you don’t mind spending a little.

Finally, what I was really fascinated with, though, was the different types of flushing mechanisms you can find: there’s the gravity-fed mechanism, tanks with pressure-assistance, and some of them even use electrical power to create the necessary air pressure. The dual-flush type lets you save water by giving you the possibility to empty only half of the tank when there’s no need for a complete tan release.